What Is a Dedicated IP? Benefits of a Dedicated IP VPN

Whether you’re working remotely, connecting to unsecured Wi-Fi, or streaming and gaming at home, a reliable VPN is now an essential cybersecurity tool. It helps you encrypt your traffic, protect your privacy, and reclaim some of your internet freedoms.

For all these benefits, using a VPN also has some disadvantages. Websites could have ways to detect your VPN use, and if they catch you, they could spam you with error messages and warnings, or block your access entirely. Search engines might start to hold you up at every turn with endless CAPTCHA tasks. 

If this sort of thing happens, the culprit is likely your shared IP address. When sites detect that multiple people are accessing them using a single IP address, they might assume it’s a VPN address and blocklist it. Switching to another VPN server could solve this problem, but if that doesn’t work, it might be time to get a dedicated IP address. Read on to learn more about what a dedicated IP address is, why you might need one, and the best way to get one. 

What Is an IP Address? 

Whenever you go online, your device has an IP address. Think of it as the cyberspace equivalent of your home address.

Your IP address tells websites or services where your traffic is coming from. Likewise, if they need to send information back to you, they know where to send it.

At home, your device typically gets its IP address from your ISP, but you can also get an IP address from a VPN. 

What Is a VPN IP Address? 

A VPN IP address is one assigned to you by a VPN. It’s usually shared between multiple random users and it’s dynamic, meaning it changes a lot.

A VPN masks your real IP address with one of its own, which then becomes your public-facing IP address or the one assumed to be the source of your traffic. This gives you the advantages of greater anonymity and privacy. Since dozens or even hundreds of people may share the same VPN-assigned IP address, it’s nearly impossible to identify you in the crowd. But the same can alert websites to the fact your IP address is from a VPN  

Using a shared IP address has its drawbacks, though, such as having your IP address blocklisted because of how many other people are using it or what they’re doing while connected. That’s where a dedicated IP address comes in. 

What Is a Dedicated IP Address? 

A dedicated, static, or personal IP address is one your VPN provider assigns exclusively to you. Several top VPNs have introduced dedicated IP addresses as an add-on feature aimed at tackling some of the issues arising from shared or dynamic IP addresses.

Dedicated vs Shared IP Address

Unlike the dynamic, shared IP addresses you usually get from a VPN, a dedicated IP address is static or unchanging, and reserved for your sole use. This means you’ll encounter fewer IP bans, VPN blocks, CAPTCHAs, and security checks than you might with a standard shared IP address. A static IP address is also useful for remote workers, as it can be added to an IP allowlist to ensure only authorized access to company resources. 

The key differences between the two are summed up in the table below: 

Benefits	Dedicated IP Address	Shared IP Address
Exclusive use	✅	❌
Fewer CAPTCHAs	✅	❌
Fewer VPN blocks	✅	❌
Authorized remote access	✅	❌

Do I Need a Dedicated IP Address? 

Not everyone will need to use a dedicated IP address, but you might if: 

• Your staff work remotely. Remote staff can use dedicated IP addresses to access company resources securely from home. Dedicated IP addresses are static, so they can be allow-listed to ensure only authorized personnel have access to business data. This protects the employees as well as critical business assets.

• You host your own website or business server. A static IP address ensures websites and email addresses tied to your business server have a consistent IP address. It also lets you install an SSL certificate on your website. This validates your site’s authenticity and encrypts all traffic between your server and its users. Online stores that handle financial transactions or gather personal data from clients require SSL certificates to build trust and security. 

• You own a Minecraft server. If you want to host a public Minecraft server, having a dedicated IP address for your server can help players find you time and time again. You can also publicize your server’s IP address on boards, websites, ads, and other platforms. A dedicated IP address also simplifies the port selection process for players and may even result in more consistent uptime and connectivity.

• You can’t afford to waste time completing CAPTCHAs. Once or twice is fine, but five in a row? If CAPTCHA tasks make you want to tear your hair out, or worse, turn off your VPN, it’s time to switch to a dedicated IP address. Your IP address will no longer chop and change and the internet will no longer need to constantly verify if you’re a real human.
  
• Your IP address keeps getting blocklisted. If your streaming or gaming platform routinely kicks you off or won’t let you access the service at all when you use a VPN, your IP address may have been blocklisted. You can try switching servers until you find one that unblocks the site, or you can get a dedicated IP address and skip the bother altogether. 

Benefits of a Dedicated IP Address

1. Uninterrupted Security

Using a dedicated IP address means you won’t be tempted to disconnect from your VPN due to incessant interruptions. This lets you explore the web smoothly and freely, with a constant shield of protection. It also means you’re not exposed to the security risks associated with sharing an IP address, such as finding yourself in the company of hackers and cybercriminals, or worse, their victims!

2. Secure Remote Working

Dedicated IP addresses are essential in companies that employ remote workers. They provide an unchanging IP address that can be added to an allowlist. This makes it easier to control which personnel can access specific resources. A dedicated IP VPN also encrypts all traffic to and from the organization’s network to ensure company information is safe in transit. Employees benefit too, as they can access the web freely and safely, no matter where they’re working from. 

3. Better Performance

Since you’re the only one using the IP address, you won’t have to contend with peak traffic issues and can enjoy consistently quick connection and site loading speeds. 

You may also see a boost in your productivity thanks to fewer blocks, CAPTCHAs, and security checks, giving you more time to spend on what matters. 

4. More Streaming & Gaming

A VPN lets you bypass region-based blocks to play games with players from around the world. You can also watch shows from home that aren’t available where you are. 

It’s no surprise that streaming and gaming platforms do all they can to block known VPN IP addresses. They automatically detect when multiple people use the same IP address and may add these IP addresses to blocklists. Many gaming platforms even issue temporary bans for using a VPN. 

If you’re savvy and use a dedicated IP address, platforms won’t know you’re using a VPN. As your IP address is yours alone, it’s extremely unlikely their detectors will know it’s associated with a VPN. 

5. Secure Online Banking

Online banking with a VPN turned on doesn’t always go smoothly. If your bank detects you’re using a VPN, it might treat your activity as suspicious and block you out or initiate extra security checks. 

A dedicated IP VPN helps you avoid these issues. Since you’re using an IP address that doesn’t change all the time, it won’t set off your bank’s alarms. This lets you stay connected to your VPN while online banking so you benefit from the extra privacy and protection. 

6. Control Over Your Own IP Reputation

Your IP reputation is a measure of trustworthiness based on past online activity linked to your IP address. If your shared IP address has a bad reputation due to the actions of other VPN users, it could see you blocked on certain web pages or platforms. A dedicated IP address gives you the freedom and peace of mind of an untarnished IP reputation. 

What Is a Dedicated IP Address for Minecraft? 

If you want to host a public Minecraft server, using a dedicated IP address on your server helps establish credibility and trust with the gaming community. You can share the address far and wide, and players can return to your server easily. Using a dedicated IP address also automates the port selection process, letting players skip the technical setup and dive right in. Plus, as you don’t need to share resources with other users, it could even result in more consistent uptime and connectivity.

How to Get a Dedicated IP Address

You may be able to get a dedicated IP address as an add-on from your VPN provider or ISP. PIA VPN has dedicated IP addresses from Australia, Germany, Canada, Japan, Singapore, Switzerland, the US, and the UK. PIA is also the first VPN to offer dedicated IP support for Apple TV, enabling more reliable access to region-specific content.

Here’s how to get a dedicated IP address in a few easy steps: 

1. Get a PIA VPN subscription.
   
2. Go to the PIA VPN Dedicated IP page to sign up for the feature. Once you do, you’ll receive an anonymous token.

3.  Launch the PIA VPN app and click the menu icon in the top left corner. 

4. Select Dedicated IP from the list of options.

5. Paste your token into the activate bar and click ACTIVATE.

Once you activate your token, you can use your dedicated IP address whenever you like. 

Optimize Your VPN with a Dedicated IP Address

When you add a dedicated IP address to your VPN subscription, you get all the advantages of VPN protection with none of the little annoyances. Since your IP address stays the same regardless of your location or network, it won’t constantly be triggering alarm bells and CAPTCHA tasks. And being yours alone, it’s unlikely to make it onto any blocklists or be affected by VPN blocks. 

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